DAT Cleaning

A word on the proper use of
DAT CLEANING CARTRIDGES

Properly used, DAT cleaning cartridges can help to prevent dropouts and damage to your tapes caused by accumulated debris. Your cleaning cassette is good for 15-20 cleaning passes, assuming 15-20 seconds per pass.

Cleaning cartridges should be used for one pass only after 20 hours of playing time.

Although some machines will recognize a cleaning cartridge, many audio DAT players (as well as some early DDS data drives) are not equipped with this recognition feature.

DAT cleaning cartridges should never be left inside your machine for longer than 20 seconds. If your machine is equipped with the cleaning cartridge recognition feature described above, it should automatically eject within 20 seconds. If not, manually eject the cleaning cartridge to prevent unnecessary wear on the rotating drum/head assembly.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER rewind a DAT cleaning cartridge!!! This will result not only in excessive drum/head wear; it is also certain to re-deposit all the debris and dirt particles accumulated on the cleaning tape during the previous cleaning passes.

Avoid using cleaning cartridges more frequently than eight-hour intervals. If your machine seems to require cleanings more frequently than eight-hour intervals, you should try recording and/or playibg back to another DAT to see if the symptoms persist. If the machine is still not recording and/or playing back properly, it may require servicing.

Here is some more information that I've collected off DAT-Heads with regard to cleaning DAT machines. I personally have only used a dry cleaning DAT so I can't vouch for any of this, I'm just presenting this in hopes of helping some folks out who may have other questions on this subject.

>To: DISK WIZARD 
>From: artmuns@edge.ercnet.com (Art Munson)
>Subject: Re: Cleaning DAT Heads
>
>Hi Mikey,
>
>I should know this but don't know for sure I'll forward this on to
>someone who does. I know Steve Sergeant would know.
>
>Take care
>
>Art
>
>
>Hello there-
>Perhaps you can help me with a question... I've been cleaning my D-3 with a
>cleaning fluid comprised of Fluorocarbon & Isopropyl Alcohol... I have no
>problems other than the ones I've had before using this cleaning
>solution...
>
>Nevertheless, when I went to Radio Shack to restock myself with chamois
>swabs,
>they only sell them with a bottle of cleaning solution containing:
>
>Isopropanol (67-63-0), Ethanal (64-17-5), Methanol (2.8%) (67-56-1)
>
>My question, if you don't mind, is what do either either use yourself, or
>suggest?

The most harm the Radio Shack solution will do to your machine is to dry
out the pinch roller.  That's OK, because the pinch roller should be
replaced every 1,500 hours, or 1 - 2 years, anyway.

The reason that fluorocarbons are chosen over alcohols is that they tend to
dry out rubber less, and they are less likely to damage the acrylic
cosmetic parts on the exterior of the machine.  They evaporate more
completely -- with minimal residue.  However, the vapors rise up very
quickly to contribute to the depletion of our ozone layer.  :-(

Alcohol better dissolves the contaminants typically found in tape paths,
and is harmless to anything along the tape path of any machine that I've
been to factory training on, but if you get it on the wrong place on the
outside of your machine it might make your machine ugly.  It's very
difficult to make alcohol without some residual mineral-containing water;
the minerals stay behind as dirt and corrosive salts after the alcohol
evaporates.  That just means that you should use 97% or purer alcohol --
don't use the 75% Isopropanol sold as rubbing alcohol.

BTW, every manufacturer I've talked to recommends Isopropanol or
a Methanol/Isopropanol blend for cleaning their decks.

The very worst thing you can use is the Tricloroethane stuff they used to
sell for cleaning analog open reel machines.  It's at least as bad for you
as it is for your machine.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Steve Sergeant          Internet:  SteveSgt@torrent.sj.ca.us
San Jose, California       Radio:  KC6ZKT @N0ARY.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NA
Audio Engineering, Music, Macintosh, Bicycles, Backcountry, Japan

                    

From: Lauren Weinstein 
Subject: Hints on DAT head cleaning from Sony
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 94 19:04 PDT

Greetings.  My contact at Sony recently sent me his comments on the
issues of DAT head cleaning, in response to a query of mine, for passing
on to the net if I wished.  I hope you find them interesting.

They begin below.

--Lauren--

============

The frequency, or time, between head cleanings depends more on
the machine's environment than on a number in a book.  If the machine
is in a climate controlled environment, without misting humidifiers,
oil burners, and you do not receive many tapes from questionable 
environments, cleaning every 30 hours is probably sufficient.  
   
Cleaning tapes are fine, and using them multiple times is also
fine. You can check the cleaning tape for visible debris by opening the
shell and looking in, but do not touch the tape.  If it is soiled
replace it. 
  
While cleaning tapes are good, the best way to clean a head is by
hand.  This method causes no wear and an astute individual will
know more about the condition of their machine after they're done. But
be warned, if your service center finds out you opened the cover and
cleaned the unit they probably won't honor your warranty.  
   
If you are worried about cleaning tape contamination, look at the
surface of any normal DAT tape some time.  You might want to wait
until after dinner.  Most normal cleaning tape debris is flaked
off the head or scraped off the tape as it passes guides about as
well as with normal tape, and the cleaning tape is not much worse for 
wear.

To find the correct cleaning interval that's right for you clean
it by hand at such a frequency that your chamois does not come off
the head with a thick black, putty like deposit.  If you find those 
deposits:
   
  1. clean your heads more often.
  2. Stop using other peoples tapes.
  3. Improve your machines living environment. 
   
Finally, to clean it by hand use a video head cleaning chamois 
stick, a video head cleaning chamois cloth, or a cleanroom cloth.
These chamois can be purchased at most electronics stores, but do
not mistake a common car chamois for the real McCoy.  You can
also buy one from the Sony parts center in KC at 816-891-7550 by 
ordering part number 2-034-697-00.  The chamois should be very
fine to the touch and have no visible defects or sudden changes in 
"grain".  Use the soft side.
   
   DO NOT USE COTTON TIP APPLICATOR STICKS, COMMON PAPER TOWELS, 
   NAPKINS (ETC.), COMMON COTTON CLOTH.  You'll be shot.
   
For cleaning solvent use 95% or better isopropyl alcohol. This 
stuff is friendly to the environment, and it works wonderfully. 
If you're a die hard chemical nut use Freon TF.  Do not get these 
solvents in the bearings of your machines guides, or on the
pinch roller; they will dry out the pinch roller, and remove valuable 
lubrication from your guides bearings.
   
To clean the heads, apply a small amount (enough to dampen the 
chamois) of cleaning solution to the chamois.  While holding the
drum motionless, apply the chamois to the side of the drum. 
Then while holding the chamois motionless, slowly and carefully
rotate the drum four or five times counterclockwise until the cloth
comes away clean.  Do not move the chamois up or down.  Do not wipe
the head with the chamois.  Pay attention that the edge of the heads
do not get caught on the chamois as they pass underneath.

To clean your pinch roller, use mild soap water and a Q-tip and 
take care that you do not get this solution in the bearings.  
Rinse carefully with water. 
   
If you can't fill in the spaces like how to get to the
mechanism, how to hold the cloth, etc. use a cleaning tape. They're fast, 
efficient, and you can use one many times without destroying your 
DAT deck.
   
And, finally, this is not magic.  Usually, long before your
heads wear out your mechanism is going to break due to stuff that any 
light cleaning is not going to get.
                    

From: EBURKS@delphi.com
Subject: Chamois sticks   DAT  head cleaning
Date: Sun, 05 Mar 1995 14:47:31 -0500 (EST)


********  Chamois for head cleaning ***********

The service world uses what are called chamois tips which are little
flat sticks with a lint free pad for wet cleaning on each side of
the tip  (Chemtronics #CC50  for 50 ; at your electronic distributor)
50 are expensive.. I hear you can get something like them at 
Radio Shack.

                        ------------------

                         HEAD CLEANING


DON'T TRY THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE A DECENT KNACK FOR WORKING INSIDE
YOUR EQUIPMENT

Now for the real post. I hunt n peck so bear with me. I have
cleaned both my Sony DTC700 and my Casio DAR100; hand wiping the
drum as many have mentioned. I was having trouble with the
Casio playing and I dry cleaned, wet cleaned and hand
cleaned. Nothing seemed to help. I seemed to me that hand
cleaning by wiping the drum surface with a moist chamois tip
was not really getting good action on the actual head surface.
(I think the rotating heads (inside the drum) may be mounted in
such a way that centrifugal force causes them to move toward
the tape surface while spinning fast but retracts slightly at
rest. So I found the little switch that is engaged by the holes
on the bottom of the dat and pushed it down (NO TAPE IN UNIT)
and pressed play. The head started spinning and i still had
clearance to get at it with a 100% isopropyl alcohol wet
chamois tip. 2 seconds of contact with the moist tip and I was
almost done. I then took a lint free (bedsheet) and gave the
drum a final wipe. Remember I had just finished wet and dry and
hand cleaning of this head. The Chamois tip had a dark rust
colored streak that I am SURE was crud from the head that the
other methods left behind. Both units worked great after
cleaning this way and both left noticable deposits on the
chamois tip!!!!  Now I clean in this manner about every 2 months.
Use a separate stick for the capstan pinch roller and guides.

If you have questions that are not answered above I doubt I can
help you any further... this is "all" I know :-)

YMMV, but it sure worked for me. Would someone who knows for 
sure please correct me if I am wrong about the centrifically
positioned heads.  Now back to my regularly scheduled lurking.


eburks@delphi.com             Eddie Burks         "Tennessee Ed"